The Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draws took place on Friday, revealing the next opponents for the competition’s remaining top teams.
Following some mixed results in the round of 16, fans are eagerly anticipating the heightened drama that typically characterizes this elite club competition.
Real Madrid, who eliminated Liverpool in the previous round, remain the team to beat. However, Manchester City, Napoli, and Bayern Munich, among others, are also vying to lift the trophy in the final in Turkey.
The first tie drawn is a repeat of last year’s quarter-final, with Chelsea facing current champions Real Madrid. Chelsea advanced to the last eight by defeating Borussia Dortmund, while Real Madrid prevailed over English opposition Liverpool.
Inter, who are currently behind Napoli in the Serie A title race, will face off against Portuguese side Benfica, who impressed in the group stage before dismantling Belgian outfit Club Brugge.
Manchester City, who faced no easy draw, will square off against perennial Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a spot in the last four.
Finally, an all-Italian clash between AC Milan and Napoli rounds out the quarter-final fixtures.
Here are some reactions to the UEFA Champions League draw
@Oluwaseyi_OG Madrid will see off Chelsea easily. City/Bayern in the semis will be tough but with their usual luck in the UCL, they should be able to qualify, and that’s it. Final against any of those Serie A teams should be easy as well. That said, let’s see how it goes.
@IncenseSA City and Chelsea getting knocked out. Surely.
@Adedaisi For the 3rd year in a row there will be a Chelsea v Real Madrid game in the #UCL again.
@Oluwa_Phenomena One Loss in 7 games against Real Madrid, Won 4 times, Draw twice. They are not stranger to us, we can do it again. Elo fokan bale
@BoyErical There is a possibility of having an all English Semi Final and an all Italian Semi Final after that
@EaglesTrackerNG Based on this #UCL draw, Victor Osimhen can actually win the Champions League this season Crazy!!
@Charles_watts That’s such a great Champions League draw. City going to have to go all guns blazing if they are going to make the final.
@KwesiBenedict Napoli can easily make the final. Beat Milan and meet either Benfica or Inter in the semis. For the other side I think whoever gets to the final wins it because it is too hard a route!
@AdamsJerry Chelsea will be flogged easily by Real Madrid. Napoli & Inter will sail through. We want to see if City will beat Bayern Munich. Tough game.
@AakashxA This is going to be huge for Napoli. Easier path to the finals and they will win Serie A too. Osimhen is going to be expensive af if they do this double!!
@Ekstatic Nice draw. Inter shouldn’t under estimate Benfica. #UCLdraw #UCL
@Aclems1 Remembering Chelsea’s performance at the great Bernabeu during the last season…Even though we couldn’t make it to the Semis. Only one English club gets applauded by the most prestigious home fans, for putting them on their knees. #UCLdraw